of hartford



July 24, 1928.

as. AUSTIN ELECTROPNEUMATIC VALVE MECHANISM Filed May 24, 1926 Patented July 24, 1928.

e aerate BASIL G. AUSTIN, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUSTIN ORGAN COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTROPNEUMATIG Application filed May 24,

This invention relates to electro-pneumatic valve mechanisms for use in organs and of the type having a magnetically operated armature valve controlling the flow of pressure to and from pneumatic means, such as a bellows.

It has been the practice to guide the armature valves, in devices of this sort, at their peripheries; that is, by engaging the peripheries of thearmature valves with guide pins or with the wall of the chamber in which the valve is mounted. This old practice has numerous disadvantages, among which may be mentioned that the frictionbetween the valve and its guiding meansis excessive, with the result that the operation is faulty, the valve not infrequently sticking and be coming tilted or canted'particularly where the mechanism is so mounted that the valve is not in a horizontalplane. It may be said that, in devices of this sort, the armature valve must be relatively thin and very light in order that it may be operated by a relatively small magnet, it being objectionable to use high currents or voltages to operate such valves.

The aim of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement wherein the above and other disadvantages and objections incident to devices as heretofore constructed are eliminated. To these ends, the armature valve of my improved mechanism is guided in such manner that it has a relatively free movement, friction being practically eliminated or at least reduced to a minimum so that the armature does not become stuck or sluggish in its movements and canting and tilting is eliminated.

Further objects of the invention are to provide an improved arrangement which is simple in construction and effective in operation.

Other objects will be in part obviousand in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter. 7

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown, more or less diagrammatically and on an enlarged scale, one embodiment which the present invention may take;

Figure 1 is a sectional view through my improved valve mechanism; and

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are plan views of the cover, the armature valve and the valve chamber, respectively.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a de- VALVE MECHANISM.

1926. "Serial No. 111,171.

notes a pressure chamber here shown more or less diagrammatically as it may have any suitable shape and size, this chamber havlng a port or passage 10 leading to a pipe to 'beplayed or other apparatus to be operated. b is a pneumatic here shown as being in the form of a bellows having a movable leaf or side 11 provided with a valve 13 for controlling the flow of air, under pressure, from the pressure box a to the passage 10; The bellows b is connected to a part or block 0 of any suitable construction and which may be made of any number of parts, it here being shown as being integral for simplicity n illustration and description. This part0 has, at one side, a valve chamber 14 from which leads a plurality of ports 15, there being three such ports in the present instance, and these ports leading to the atmos: phere At the inner ends of the ports are cylindricalprojections 16, the ends of which constitute valve seats. Preferably, the ports are concentrically arranged. Leading from the chamber 14: to the interior of the bellows bis a passage'l7. g

Within the valve chamber M is an armature-valve d which, bypreference, is relatively light in we'ight so that a relatively small 'magnetic force will move the same from the seats provided by the ends of the projections 16; This valve cl,by preference, is relatively smaller in diameter than the circular valve chamber ld so that the air may readily flow from one side of the valve to theothe. j

The chamber l l: is closed by a-cover e which is preferably formed of a relatively thin disk 20 of metal, such asbrass or other suitable material, and a ring-like washer 21 which may, for instance, be of leather. The disk 20 has a plurality of ports 22, preferably three in number and located similarly to the ports 15. The opening in the washer 21 is preferably of such diameter as to just miss the ports 22.

f is an electro-magnet of any suitable sort and is here shown as having its arms resting on the cover 6. The magnet, which may be of the horseshoe type, is supported in any suitable manner; for instance, the closed end of the magnet may be supported by a bracket g, and the arms of the magnet, which engage the cover 6, may be clamped in place by a sheet metal clamp h secured in place by a screw In accordance with the present invention, the armature valve J is positioned and guided in its movements by a single guide pin 76 supported by the block or art 0 and extending centrally through the o iamber 14. This guide pin also serves to hold the cover against movement in the plane of the cover. As shown in the drawings, the guide pin 70 is centrally positioned with respect to the ports 15. The armature (Z has a central aperture which receives this pin in such manner that the armature is properly guided and yet has a relatively tree axial movement. The disk 20 has a centrally disposed aperture26 which receives the pin so that the cover is held against movement at right angles to the direction of the length of the pin.

The operation of the apparatus is briefly as follows:VVhen the parts are in the position'shown in Fig' 1, the bellows is distended because the interior of the bellows is in communication with the pressure chamber through the ports 22, valve chamber 14 and the passage 17 and when the bellows is thus distended,the valve 13 closes the passage 10. VI hen the magnet f is energized, the valve d is moved away from the seats provided by the tops of the projections 16 and is brought to a position against the washer 21, and then the bellows is in communication with the atmosphere through the passage 17 the chamber 14 and the ports 15, with the result that the bellows will collapse, permitting air, under pressure, to flow from the pressure box to the passage 10. Upon de-energization of the magnet, the armature. valveunder the influence of the wind pressure exerted on the armature valve throughrthe holes or openings in the cover, will move back to the position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the bellows will become distended and close thepassage 10.

It will be seen from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accom panying drawings, that the armature is free ,at its periphery or outer edge and that this armature is guided solely in its movements by the positioning and guide pin is. The

friction between the guide pin and the armature is, so small as to be negligible so that there is no tendency for the valve to stick or become canted. It will be noted that the guide pin is spaced from the ports and does not extend through any of the ports so that any leakage between the pin and the armature has no ellect upon the operation of the device. The guide pin, in additionto constituting the sole guide for the armature, positions and holds the cover against movement in the plane of the cover. With the arrangement of the present invention, the armature has a relatively free movement so that a small magnetic force may be employed to operate the same.

I claim as my invention: V

1. In an electro-pneumatic valve mechanism, a chamber, a plurality of ports leading from said chamber, a perforatedcover over said chamber, a magnet over said cover, a fixed centrally located guide and positioning pin passing through said chamber, and an armature in said chamber between said ports and cover and having a centrally disposed opening receiving saidpin whereby said ar mature is solely guided in its movements by said pin, said cover having a centrally disposed aperture receiving said pin whereby said cover is held in position. 2. In an electro-pneumatic valve mechanism, a chamber, a fixed centrally located guide and positioning pin passing through said chamber, a plurality of ports positioned about said pin and leading from said chamber, an armature in said chamber adapted to control saidports and having a centrally disposed opening receiving said pin whereby said armature is solely guided in its movements by said pin, a perforated cover over said chamber and having a centrally disposed aperture receiving said pin whereby said cover is held against movement'in the direction of its plane, a. magnet, and means for clamping said magnet against said cover to hold said magnet and cover in place.

BASIL G. AUSTIN. 

